2 Inmates Escape From Jail Van

Area police agencies were looking last night for two county detention center inmates who escaped after arriving at District Court in Annapolis for trial.

Anthony James Freeland, 20, whose last known address was in the 1700 block of Richfield Road in Severn, and Donald Leander Curtis, 21, whose last known address was in the 7800 block of Windborne Drive in Glen Burnie, had just been brought to District Courtwhen they bolted from a van, police said.

County police spokesman Officer V. Richard Molloy said the fugitives had been taken from the jail for trial. When two Wackenhut Security Services armed guards parked the van outside the back door of the courthouse about 8 a.m., they began unloading the seven prisoners.

When the van doors were opened, Molloy said, the two jumped out and ran.

Jail Superintendent Richard Baker said the pair had gotten out of their handcuffs during the ride to court.

"You can usea number of different things to work the cuffs and unlock them," he said.

Baker said Freeland, who has a prior escape charge from a Pennsylvania jail, had his hands bound in front of him and attached to a waist chain. He was wearing leg irons.

Each of Curtis' hands were handcuffed to another prisoner's, Baker said.

After fleeing fromthe van, the pair run into a small wooded area and headed toward downtown Annapolis and the Rowe Boulevard bridge.

One guard started to follow, but lost the pair. County police K-9 dogs began a search, but lost the scent somewhere around the College Creek area, Molloy said.

In addition to Freeland's prior escape charge, he was being held on a $5,000 bond for a robbery with a deadly weapon charge, $250 bond for failing to appear in court on traffic charges, $2,500 bond forfailing to appear in court on a theft charge and without bond on another robbery with a deadly weapon charge, Baker said.

Curtis was being held on a $30,000 bond for a robbery with a deadly weapon charge, $20,000 bond for a burglary charge and $15,000 bond for a possession of narcotics charge, Baker said.